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MACRON I — FRANCE CHANGING SIDES (AGAIN!)

The Second World War lasted for nearly six years and casualties amounted to an estimated 70 million people.

Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) is celebrated all over Europe, marking the day when Germany surrendered on 8 May, 1945. In France, the day is a national holiday (last Monday), when they celebrate their liberation from the Germans. It was also the day that Emmanuel Macron became their new President. Now the French can’t get close enough to the Germans (within the European Union) .

Even though Macron won, there is still a woman ruling France — Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany. How ironic is that?!!

City

Patrick Newton

MACRON II — SEXISM AT ITS WORST

It’s no secret that Donald Trump is 24 years older than his wife, Melania, and no-one finds anything wrong in that age difference. On the other hand, the same age gap between the brand-new French President, Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte Trogneux, has been disapproved of by many people.

Why is the former case socially acceptable while the latter isn’t? Food for thought, isn’t it? Sexism at its worst. Rampant male chauvinism. And, believe it or not, the harshest criticism has come from women, who have crucified Brigitte mercilessly. Deep down, most of them must be utterly jealous and would love to be in her French “chaussures.”

Ringuelet/La Plata

Irene BIanchi

DOES MACRI DESERVE TO DECORATE CARTER?

There’s no doubt that both former US president Jimmy Carter and his then secretary of humanitarian affairs and human rights, Patricia erian, are worthy of the Order of the Liberator General San Martin award (Herald, May 5). Thanks to their commitment to the defence of human rights, many lives were saved in our country.

But does Mauricio Macri have the moral stature to bestow this distinction? Does Carter really know what’s going on in Argentina? Massive layoffs in the public sector and the dismantling of human rights areas in different government areas are ample proof that our President plays only lip service to these fundamental rights. Even his Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra, has a tarnished track record in this field (see my letter of May 28, 2016). This explains Macri’s incoherent foreign policy, which has been amply covered by the Herald: he has highlighted unease regarding the human rights situation in Venezuela (June 16, 1976) but failed to bring up the issue of human rights violations in Mexico when meeting President Enrique Peña Nieto, in spite of the open request of Argentine human rights groups (July 27, 2016).

Carter is not to blame for receiving this award from a deceiver. US media has never paid much attention to what goes on in Argentina. So it’s up to us — especially human rights organisations — to get the word out on how this government is doing its best to dismantle the advances made in the field of human rights since December 10, 1983.

City

Ildefonso Miguel Thomsen

OBAMA WAS NOT ONLY TARGET OF HEALTH ACT REPEAL

The repeal of the Affordable Care Act by Paul Ryan (Wisconsin) and 217 Republican politicians is a farce and political hatchet job. This is not about healthcare, this is another Republican witch-hunt, this time aimed at the successful Obamacare (ACA). Just 217 Republican politicians have essentially screwed 10 million Americans out of health care coverage, all in an effort to please and play to an extremist Republican base of Obama-haters. And doesn’t the media realize that as long as they substitute Obamacare instead of the official name Affordable Care Act, they are helping Republicans in their repeal con and keeping the GOP base stirred up? And did you see Donald Trump hiding in the cluster of 217 Republican politicians involved in the repeal of the ACA? Donald knew he was doing wrong.

Nevada City, California, USA

Ron Lowe

STERLING WILLIE

Cleaning up a suitcase full of cups wrapped up in newspapers from 1972, I found two cups inscribed “British Legion Sterling Willie Cup,” one inscribed “1954” and the other “1969,” followed by my aunt Georgina Mayo Jamieson’s married name.

She was the widow of Kenneth Brown and was a third officer in the WRENs in the Second World War and a great golfer.

I can’t find anybody who knows anything about the “Sterling Willie Cup.” Does any reader know anything? If so, mail me at marketeck@yahoo.com or contact me at www.marketeck.com.ar or telephone 4795-4092.